Lost Memories
by sarasponda
Summary: I know this idea was already done, but I thought I'd switch it up a bit...So, what if Deryn got amnesia and forgot about Alek. Or if she forgot about the Leviathan and the war and everything in between?
1. Chapter 1

**A few days after _Behemoth _**

"Well, beastie." Deryn said, pushing her cap over her eyebrows to block out the sun, "I think we should stop lollygagging and head back inside."

"Lollygagging." Bovril remarked. The creature was hanging happily from the ratlines above her. She hated to take him down but she had duties to perform and they didn't have time to stand around and daydream.

"Come on, Bovril." She snatched the beastie up from beneath its armpits, holding the animal close to her face so she could rub her cheek against its soft fur. Bovril grumbled in complaint.

"Put down!" The loris growled in its broken English. Deryn sighed and shook her head.

"Sorry, beastie. I wish we could stay out here all day, but they'll have my head if those bees don't get fed soon." And she was truly sorry. She couldn't remember a fairer day since she had boarded the _Leviathan _back in London. The skies were completely clear, blue as a baby's eyes, and she could smell the salty sweet aroma of the Mediterranean Sea stretching out beneath them. In the distance she could make out the green lush islands of Crete and the faint specks of seagulls flapping in the ocean wind.

She gave one last sigh before putting Bovril on her shoulder so she could use her arms to climb back to the deck. It was a short climb, but she took her time dawdling at each footfall, making sure to enjoy every breath of the wonderful sky.

She never got to finish her climb down. Before she made it halfway the klaxon screamed, calling all hands to battle stations.

"Guess we'll be staying up here a bit longer." She said to Bovril. Then, with the loris still clinging to her shoulder, Deryn hooked her carabiner back to her harness and started up toward topside again.

"SHARP!" Came a shrill cry. Deryn had just reached dorsal when Mr. Rigby snatched her by the shoulder. "We have Clanker aircraft heading from the northeast. You and Mr. Newkirk are to report to the Huxleys." He gave her a shove toward starboard where Newkirk was already manning the pulley that held the rope for the ascending Huxleys.

Deryn gave a nervous gulp. Her affections for the giant inflatable squid had diminished enormously after Newkirk's accident a few weeks ago.

"Must it be me, sir?" She asked.

"You're the skinniest one we've got, Mr. Sharp, and we need that Huxley in the air fast! So stop whining and get your arse over there!"

Orders were orders and Deryn couldn't argue when there was a battle going on. She gave Mr. Rigby a quick salute before dashing over to help Newkirk.

"I hope you don't mind being the rider this time." Newkirk mumbled once she reached his side. "I'm afraid I still have scars from the last time I went up in one of these."

Deryn sighed. "Aye, I suppose you have more reason to be frightened of the sodding Huxley than I do." She began to strap herself in.

"Does that mean you're frightened of them too?" Newkirk asked her with a little more of a grin than she was comfortable with.

"Aye." She said, narrowing her eyes at him. "But don't go blabbering that around to the entire crew. Unlike you, I have a reputation to hold up to."

Newkirk shook his head and smiled.

"Whatever you say, Dylan."

She handed Bovril over to him and finished strapping herself into her seat. Newkirk released one of the ballast bags, causing the beastie to shoot up into the air. Deryn quickly forgot her fear of Huxleys as her insides rose along with her ascent. She could never stay frightened once flying was involved!

The rope quickly went taut as she reached a height of about 30 yards. Newkirk called up to her and waved his arms before tightening the lock on the pulley.

"Aye, dafty, I'm looking!" She yelled at him. The quick flight had her forgetting that there were enemy planes around. Without any more wasted time, she snatched a pair of binoculars from her front pocket and began searching the skies for the Clanker aircraft.

North by Northeast, as Rigby had suggested, were three German fighter planes coming up on them fast. She strapped the binoculars to her neck, freeing her arms to signal to Newkirk that the planes were on their way.

3 P-L-A-N-E-S-6-M-I-L-E-S-NNE. She signaled to Newkirk. She pulled out her binoculars again to check if they were indeed German. Yet as her eyes focused on the black crosses against the white and red paint of the airplanes, Deryn heard a loud pop above her and felt the Huxley suddenly drop a few feet.

"NO, BEASTIE!" She cried to the Huxley. Above her a cloud of fire had exploded out of the top squid. Immense heat had engulfed her and her seat was suddenly swinging back and forth dangerously as the Huxleys tentacles began to unfurl in angry painful thrusts. The air reeked of burning hydrogen and the beastie was dropping fast. She didn't have time to ponder what had happened; she just had to concentrate on getting away from the burning tentacles.

Deryn swallowed back the bile that had entered her throat. Images of her father burning to death and current memories of rescuing Newkirk from a similar Huxley explosion rushed through her mind. She sat there, frozen for half a second in fear before a scream below brought her back to her senses.

"KEEHAUL DROP!" Newkirk was shouting. He wasn't wheeling the rope in because if the burning Huxley hit the membrane of the _Leviathan,_ one spark could send the entire airbeast into flame. Even with the lost hydrogen, she was still almost twenty yards up in the air. It was too far to jump down, so she would have to take Newkirk's suggestion and keelhaul drop down the rope.

She swallowed hard again and quickly began to unfasten her harness and alter it for a sliding drop down the rope. Her hands were shaking which made it difficult to tie the knots correctly. It seemed to take hours but she managed to finish her tying and brace herself before leaping from the flames and slipping down the rope in one smooth motion.

The sliding descent was fast, too fast. In her haste to jump away she had forgotten the first rule of a keelhaul drop. The angle of the rope couldn't be too steep or else she would slide so fast she would crush herself once she hit the bottom. Unfortunately it was too late to change that now and Deryn was sliding down the rope so alarmingly fast that she felt weightless. Just before she made contact with the ship she glanced down to see that the pulley was still in her way. It was a heavy object and nearly as big as three men across. She never realized how large the pulley was, or how sharp the edges were of the handle.

The instant she realized it was in her way was the same instant she hit it. Normally she would have been able to put her hands out to protect her face, but they were busy holding on to the carabiner of the keelhaul harness. She didn't recall actually running into the pulley, but her forehead was smarting nastily and Newkirk was swearing his tongue off.

That was when she noticed the blood pooling down her cheeks. That was also when everything went black.


	2. Chapter 2

When the klaxon rang, sounding the alarm for battle, Alek had run straight for the engine pods. Klopp hadn't arrived to man the controls yet, so the young prince was eager to take his place and assist the Darwinst pilots in steering the ship through the air fight.

"What are you doing here?" Said Mr. Hirst, the ship's engineer. Currently the man was sitting in the engine pod, his eyes darting between Alek and the controls. Hirst wasn't Alek's favorite person in the world. He had shot him in the ribs with an air pistol a few weeks ago, but Alek wasn't here to make friends.

"I'm here to help!" Alek responded to the man.

"Don't need your help." Hirst returned his gaze to the signal patch beside him which was beginning to change colors. He was focusing on orders from the bridge that were being sent through the color changing apparatus. Alek watched as Hirst nodded at the signal patch and deftly moved his hands to the Clanker controls. Without any effort, the Darwinist engineer twisted a crank and moved the pedals with his feet, easily shifting to full speed ahead without any assistance from Alek or his men. It was apparent that the Clankers would not be needed to fly the _Leviathan _anymore.

Alek sighed and sat down in annoyance. Over the thrum of the engines he could hear shouts echoing across the ship and whistles being blown. The crew was readying for battle and unless Alek learned how to send off flechette bats or control a Huxley, he had no use aboard this ship. Instead he sat and watched Hirst man the controls.

About two minutes later, Alek was startled into attention when, out of nowhere, Otto Klopp trampled into him.

"Young master!" He shouted, quickly helping Alek to his feet. "I'm so sorry; I've been looking for you everywhere!"

"What is it?" Alek asked.

"There's been an accident! Your friend…."

Alek frowned. Above them, three German planes flew overhead. Alek looked up in time to see one of the gunners emptying his weapon unto the unfortunate crew members scattered about the ships dorsal side. His stomach turned.

"Spit it out, man!"

Klopp shuddered. "Sharp. He fell."

Alek felt his heart jump into his throat.

"DYLAN! He fell! Where?" Images of Dylan falling off the airbeast and plummeting into the ocean filled Alek's head.

"From one of the hot air balloon animals." He pointed behind Alek's head and the boy turned to see one of the ship's Huxley's drifting toward the ocean. The rope that had attached the abominable creature to the ship had been cut and Alek realized a moment later that there were plumes of fire escaping from the Huxley's side. It must have been hit during the air attack! The hydrogen inside the Huxleys was just as flammable as the gas inside the _Leviathan_. If Dylan had been riding in the Huxley, then he must have fallen when the thing exploded!

Alek jumped away from Klopp and into the engine pod. He dangled his torso over the side of the railing in order to see the Huxley better. From what he could tell, Dylan was no longer riding in the basket beneath.

"He didn't fall in the ocean." Klopp said, obviously reading Alek's thoughts.

"Thank God!" Alek declared before letting himself down from the ledge.

"They have him down in the infirmary. He's hit his head rather seriously."

After hearing that, Alek didn't stay a moment longer to talk with Klopp. He left the man with Mr. Hirst and rushed back into the gondola toward the sick bay of the ship.

The infirmary of the _Leviathan _was a small room located toward the aft end of the ship. On normal days the room was stuffed with about eight cots, however, Alek counted nearly four more that must have just been wheeled in during the battle. Each one was filled with at least one injured crewman and a few of the larger beds had two. Safe to say, Dr. Busk was running around the room like a madman, his hands grabbing various tools and bottles from the shelves as he rushed from one patient to the next.

Alek pushed himself past a group of men carrying in a rigger that looked to be shot in the arm. He stepped over a few sleeping bodies on the floor before spotting Dylan's form in one of the smaller cots at the end of the room.

"DYLAN!" Alek finally reached his friend's side.

The boy was unconscious and sickly pale which made the dark bloody bandage on his forehead look even more dramatic in contrast to his porcelain skin. Newkirk was perched at the foot of the bed, wringing his hands in worry and sniffing back tears.

"Oh…hullo, your highness." He said through a mumble when he noticed Alek was standing there. "The doctor says he cracked his skull. It could be weeks before he mends completely, and he probably has significant brain damage."

Alek felt like his eyes had inflated a bit in their sockets.

"BRAIN DAMAGE!"

Newkirk nodded. "He slid down the rope to escape the Huxley when it caught fire and crashed into the pulley when he hit the ground. It could have happened to….anyone."

Newkirk looked suddenly very sick and Alek could tell the midshipman was imagining himself in Dylan's place. That was thing about war; you never knew who was going to end up with the short end of the stick. Or in this case, who would end up with the short end of the rope.

Alek patted Newkirk on shoulder.

"He'll be all right. Dylan's tough. I bet he'll pull through just fine. You wait, by tomorrow he'll be up again and climbing the ratlines faster than both of us combined." Alek said. He was surprised by his own optimism but felt it needed to be said or else he may never believe that his friend would get better.

Newkirk didn't get a chance to respond because Dr. Busk came over to shoo him away.

"Aren't you supposed to be topside right now?" The doctor scolded. "We're in the middle of a battle and you're just sitting around and moping because your friend got hurt? Those planes aren't going to shoot themselves down, son, so you better get your bottom in gear before the captain finds out that you're playing hooky!"

Newkirk immediately jumped off the bed and gave the man a quick salute.

"Aye, sir!" He snapped then turned to face Alek. "Well, g'bye then. Keep on eye on Sharp for me." And with one more nervous gulp, Newkirk headed out the door.

Alek took Newkirk's place at the foot of the bed, much to Dr. Busk's disapproval.

"I can't command _you _to do anything!" The man growled. "So if you're going to stay here, see to it that you don't get in my way."

Alek would normally have ignored the nasty comment from the ship's doctor, but he had to look into Dylan's health so he made a point to bother the man with a question.

"Do you think there's anything we can do for him besides just waiting?" He asked.

Dr. Busk was about to grab something from the shelf behind Dylan's bed, but stopped to give Alek a cold sneer.

"I have other patients with far worse injuries than this boy. You see that man over there?" He pointed to the first set of beds where a young soldier was groaning in pain. "Just was shot in the stomach. I have ten, maybe twenty seconds before he bleeds out on me. So no, there is nothing else I can do for the middie."

Alek bit his lip and apologized quietly, letting the doctor return to his work. Once again, a feeling of strong uselessness unfolded in his body. God's wounds, he couldn't even help his injured friend without getting in someone's way.

People came in and out of the little room in waves. Alek couldn't figure out which was worse, watching the hoards of injured men stream in, or watching Dylan sit there, motionless.

Eventually the gunfire died down and the yells outside began to change into cheers and laughter. The activity in the sick ward began to diminish as soldiers were wheeled away to their rooms in other areas of the ship. Within the next hour, Alek and Dylan were left with only two other patients, both of whom were unconscious as well. Even Dr. Busk had disappeared, probably helping someone at another end of the ship.

It was more than a little unnerving, sitting there and hoping that Dylan stayed alive. Alek kept checking and rechecking to make sure the boy was still breathing. Dylan's breaths were slow and shallow, but they were regular and stable. Alek wiped a bead of sweat from his own brow and reminded himself to continue steady breathing as well. He shouldn't let his nerves get the best of him.

A faint sigh and stirring from Dylan caused him to hold his breath again. The midshipman slowly opened his eyes and began to look around the room.

"DYLAN! You're aliv…I mean, you're awake! How are you feeling?"

No answer. Dylan's eyes shifted around out of focus for a second before he was able to pinpoint Alek's face into his view. He frowned slightly before struggling to sit up straight.

"NO! Don't move!" Alek threw his hands out to prevent the boy from sitting up. "You've hit your head. Very badly, actually, and you probably should stay still."

A small shaky hand emerged from beneath Dylan's sheets as the boy reached up to his forehead and delicately pressed a finger to the new wound. He cringed a bit from the touch and immediately pulled his hand away.

"Don't touch it!" Alek said, a little too late. "Here, I'll help you get comfortable."

He slid off the bottom of the bed and stood to help adjust the pillows around Dylan's neck and shoulders. Dylan let him do so, but without saying a word. Instead he just continued to stare at Alek in silence.

Anxious to fill the quiet, Alek continued to babble on like a yappy dog.

"Newkirk was terribly worried, of course, but they forced him away to continue with the battle. I haven't heard from Dr. Barlow yet but I'm sure she'll be around soon to check on you. Although I'm certain she'll be more concerned about the loris than how either one of us faired during the fight. Speaking of which, have you seen Bovril lately? I wouldn't think you'd bring the creature up in the Huxley with you but I suppose it is always possible. What with the way it's always clinging on to someone."

He paused to let Dylan answer but the middie just continued to stare blankly at him. Alek swallowed down more nerves. He had never known someone this close to him to be this badly injured. The only people he knew personally to be affected by the war were his parents, and they were dead. He had certainly seen other soldiers get hurt and had even done some of the shooting himself, but when it came down to watching one of his own friends inflicted with battle wounds, the whole enormity of it all suddenly seemed very real. On top of it all, Dylan still had a very uneasy emptiness to his gaze. Not for the first time that afternoon Alek wondered what sort of brain damage could have occurred from a cracked skull.

"You know, I never realized that Bovril was so particular about which people it liked." Alek continued, trying to accommodate for the awkward silence. He began fussing with Dylan's sheets and making sure they lined up straight. "On the previous evening it actually bit Volger! Would you believe that? I know I told you before, but I thought since…."

"Where am I?" Dylan interrupted him suddenly.

Alek jumped at the sound of his friend's voice. It sounded different than usual, higher.

"Oh! Um….sorry Dylan! We're in the infirmary. Dr. Busk should be back any moment." Although he didn't know if that was completely true. It could be hours before the ship's doctor returned. Alek didn't feel like mentioning that though, he was too excited that Dylan was speaking.

"Infirmary?" Dylan narrowed his eyes and glanced around the room again.

"Yes, you hit your head, remember?"

"I know that, you ninny, I didn't hit it _that _hard! And you don't need to keep fixing the damn sheets; I'm not dead yet so stop preparing me for burial."

Relief rushed through Alek's insides and he allowed himself to relax a bit. Dylan's snarky humor was still present at least.

"Sorry. I was just a bit worried about you." Alek said, taking a step back from the bed.

"Well that's awful nice of you." Dylan remarked, looking Alek up and down strangely. "Have I met you before?"

At first Alek thought he was kidding and let out a small laugh. But when Dylan continued to glare at him like he was crazy, Alek had a cold prickly sensation enter his abdomen.

"You seriously don't know who I am?"

"Should I?" Dylan asked with a nasty tone.

"Dylan, it's me, Alek."

If it could be possible, Dylan narrowed his eyes even more.

"Is that supposed to be funny? I don't know you."

"Yes you do, Dylan, try and remember."

"Are you some sort of nutter? And stop calling me Dylan, that isn't my name."

"But…."

"It's Deryn." He said loudly and firmly.

Alek paused to get a better look at his friend. Surely Dylan was just pulling his leg. He didn't know much about Scottish names, but Deryn sure sounded like a feminine one.

"Now you're the one who's trying to be funny!" He smirked. "You can't have hit your head so hard that you think you're a girl!"

"I AM a girl!" Dylan said, sitting straight up in bed. His head wound must have made him suddenly dizzy because he instantly fell back into the pillows with an oof.

Alek shook his head. No wonder his friend had changed the pitch of his voice. The poor boy was really "cracked in the attic" so to say. What kind of brain damage made someone randomly decide they were a different person?

"I think I'm going to go find the doctor for you." Alek said. This was obviously way beyond his comprehension of head injuries.

"Fine." Said Dylan. "Not that I want to talk to you anymore. You really must be nuts if you can't tell I'm a girl."

"But you are NOT a girl! Believe me."

"Oh really?" Dylan smirked. "Are you really so sure about that, Clanker?"

Alek crossed his arms and glared at his friend with fury. Surely this must be some sort of joke.

"Yes I'm sure! Dylan this isn't funny anymore!"

"Who's laughing? And I told you, it's DERYN!"

"Whatever."

Dylan sat up slowly this time so he didn't fall back again. "You really think I'm a boy?"

"YES!" Good God this was ridiculous.

"Are you willing to bet money on that?"

"What? Dylan, what the hell is the matter with you? Have you gone mad?"

"I'll wager fifteen pounds, Clanker. I'm guessing quid will be a passable currency for you, seeing as that you are so familiar with English and all."

"Huh?"

"Now how do I prove to you that I'm a girl? Take off my shirt? Maybe I am a bit loony after hitting my head, but I am looking forward to seeing the look on your face. You must work in this hospital so I'm sure seeing a few diddies wouldn't stir you up too much. Unless that is, you don't think you can handle it, Clanker."

Alek didn't know how to answer that one. He was too busy trying to figure out what the word 'diddies' meant. Surely it didn't mean what he thought it did. He didn't even notice that Dylan had begun removing his shirt until it was partially over his head.

"Careful now, you don't want to hurt yourself." Alek took a step back toward the bed to assist his friend in removing the blood stained shirt over his bandaged head. "Now, do you see that you aren't a gir….GOD'S WOUNDS!" Alek dropped the shirt and snapped back away from the bed. Beneath the middie uniform, Dylan certainly did have 'diddies'. Even though they were bound tightly in a linen strap there was no way to hide the shape and curve of them once the shirt was gone.

"HA HA! Told you so!" Dylan….or was it Deryn, smiled. "Although I don't remember putting this barking wrap here. It's awful itchy." And to Alek's horror she began to unwrap the linen, but thankfully stopped when she noticed him staring. "Do you mind?"

"Oh….um…It's just…" His cheeks must have been red as cherries because they felt like they were on fire. He realized he was still staring rudely and quickly turned away. "I'm sorry, but it's not every day that your friend changes into a girl!"

"So you're my friend now?" Deryn remarked before covering herself with the sheets. "Really? And why would I be friends with some strange Clanker boy like you? Now if you don't mind, why don't you go get that doctor you were talking about? I'm beginning to think I really did hit my head if I just flashed a complete stranger who is suddenly an old chum of mine."

Alek was about to say something else, but the girl that had been Dylan was glaring so fiercely at him that he was afraid she'd hit him. Indeed, it was probably time he find Dr. Busk, and fast. This was definitely not just a normal head wound.


	3. Chapter 3

All Deryn really wanted was for them to let her out of bed. Of course the horrible doctor would barely even let her sit up.

"Can I go outside today?" She asked Dr. Busk when he arrived with her morning medications.

Dr. Busk groaned. "We've been over this, Miss Sharp. You are in no condition to be running about. I will tell you when you can start walking again, so stop asking me!"

"But…"

"Hush. Now hold still. I have to change your bandage."

She let him cut the old cloth off of her forehead and winced as he began to clean the cuts and bruises beneath it.

"When do you think I will be able to go outside?"

"When you're healed." Dr. Busk grumbled.

"And when will that be?"

"When I say so."

Deryn rolled her eyes. It had been almost a week since she had woken up in the odd infirmary. Dr. Busk was a grumpy little man who always smelled like formaldehyde. He never had anything pleasant to say but he still was better company than most of the bizarre people she had met recently. All of them claimed they had known her for weeks. They had this ongoing belief that she had disguised herself as a boy to get on this vessel and that she was in a good amount of trouble for doing so. How they came up with such a bewildering story, she had no idea. Each day their tales became more farfetched and crazy.

She was beginning to believe she had gone mad and her parents had sent her to a crazy house. Maybe these nutty people were just figments of her imagination.

First there was Dr. Barlow, a female boffin who apparently worked for the London Zoo. The lady was completely bonkers and kept claiming that she was the granddaughter of Darwin himself! She came in every morning at nine o'clock exactly to chat with Deryn about the gigantic hydrogen breather they were passengers in.

"The _Leviathan _is five hundred feet long from tail to snout." The boffin had explained. "There are sixty three rooms in the gondola, five chambers in the gastric intestines and two engine pods in the dorsal side of the ship. Plus many nooks and crannies to hold the flechette bats and straffling hawks."

Deryn had heard of the _Leviathan _before. Everyone had! The ship was more famous than canned haggis! Just last week Da had been telling her about the gigantic hydrogen breathers he had read about in the paper. The beasties were an immense source of pride for the British Navy. But they were not finished yet. It would be months, maybe even years before the _Leviathan _and her sister ships would take to the skies. After all, gigantic flying whales didn't hatch overnight.

Yet Dr. Barlow continued to claim that Deryn was, at that very moment, sitting in the infirmary of the airship. Not that there was any way to prove it since she wasn't permitted out of her bed. Barlow even continued to explain that Deryn had been a midshipman and an important member of the ship's crew.

"You were a very helpful assistant, Miss Sharp." She had insisted.

"Yeah…sure."

"The captain and the crew held you as one of their best. Just ask anyone."

And Deryn did ask them. At least the few members of this so called 'crew' who came to visit her.

There was the Captain himself, a white haired gentleman with a pompous attitude. He had only visited her once and just for a few minutes, but Deryn still got the shivers whenever she thought about it.

"You are a disgrace to the British Empire and a scandal that will tarnish His Majesty's Air Force forever." The man had declared to her bluntly. The men he had brought with him who must have been other officers were nodding in agreement and shooting her nasty glares.

"But…what did I do?" Deryn had finally responded when the silence had been too long.

"You impersonated a male soldier and created a false alias for yourself so you could join the military."

"That's ridiculous! Why would I do that?"

"Honestly, I haven't the slightest idea."

And with that the man had left. But not without telling her that as soon as the airship touched down in London, Deryn would be taken to trial in order for the court to decide what her punishment would be for her dishonorable actions.

If that wasn't crazy enough there was still the Clankers to deal with.

Volger (yes, that was his real barking name!) was some sort of Clanker engineer who had been brought aboard to help with the engines. Or so he said. To Deryn he was just some snooty pushy pants that was only here to annoy her.

If they were indeed flying around the world in a gigantic Darwinist air vessel, why on earth would there be Clanker engines attached to the beastie? Deryn had asked Volger this many times but the man never had a concrete answer for her. It was always something like: 'because Clanker engines are superior' or 'it's too complicated for you to understand'.

Volger never wanted to talk about the engines anyway. He only seemed to find it necessary to educate Deryn about warfare.

He claimed that the Darwinist and Clanker Nations were in the middle of the largest and most devastating war to ever hit the planet. Indeed, people were even calling it The Great War. This wasn't too farfetched since everyone knew that the Darwinists and the Clankers had been at each other's throats for years. What didn't make sense was that the entire bloody thing had started because the archduke and duchess of Austria had been assassinated. Apparently this caused a huge domino effect of the nations attacking one another in a way that made Deryn's head hurt even more than usual.

"Because the Austrians were allied with Germany, the Germans had to join the fight. Now that meant that the French had to join as well because they were allied with Serbia against the Germans. Soon, Great Britain was joining in as well as Italy and Russia. I even predict that Japan will be included and even the United States if they see themselves threatened."

"And all because two people were killed?" She had asked.

"Indeed, Miss Sharp, indeed."

Volger's history lessons were long, detailed and incredibly dull. Deryn had to struggle to keep her eyes open through most of them.

Yet Volger wasn't nearly as annoying as his younger comrade, Alek. In fact, Deryn would easily argue that Alek was the worst of her visitors. He came with his own set of stories as well. They weren't boring but they were so ridiculous that Deryn was certain he was making them up as he went. And the more Deryn pointed this out, the angrier and more annoying Alek would get.

"There, you're done." Dr. Busk said, interrupting her from her thoughts. He finished knotting the new bandage and stood.

"Do I get to go outside then?"

"No."

"Can't blame a girl for trying." She grumbled.

Busk only ignored her.

"Alek will be bringing you your breakfast today." He said.

"Uggh, really? What happened to Newkirk?"

Newkirk was the only person in the group who seemed relatively normal. He was a Monkey Luddite and dumb as a box of rocks but at least he didn't seem to mind too much that she was a girl.

"Newkirk has other duties this morning." Dr. Busk explained. "And you should be nicer to Alek. He really does care about you."

Deryn gave a loud groan. According to Dr. Busk and everyone else, she and Alek were supposed to be best friends. This must have been another one of those lunatic stories they made up. There was no way in hell Deryn would ever be friends with someone like Alek.

Speaking of Alek, there was a gentle knock at the door and Dr. Busk let the Clanker boy in. Even that annoyed Deryn. Whoever knocked to enter a hospital ward? Nobody else ever did.

Alek gave her a nervous smile as he entered the room. He was carrying the usual breakfast tray of eggs, toast and sausage and the smell of the hot food wafted through the little room. Dr. Busk dragged out a small table for the food and Alek situated himself on the edge of her bed, placing the tray on the table between them.

"How are you faring today, Deryn?" He asked her.

"Fine." She said, taking a plate of food away from him and making sure she didn't look him in the eye. Bad things happened when Deryn looked him in the eye directly. Alek had very gorgeous eyes, and if she looked too closely she would begin believing what he told her or worse, start to enjoy his company.

She could never befriend someone like Alek. For one, he was a Claneker, and a very stuck up Clanker at that. He also was always lying to her. Alek liked to tell her stories about adventures the two of them had been on. Outrageous stories like how they had run around Istanbul together and saved the Ottoman Empire from joining the war. Or how he had rescued her from freezing to death when he found her buried beneath the _Leviathan _in the Swiss Alps. Deryn tried explaining to him that none of this had ever happened, but that would just make Alek upset. He'd either start arguing with her, or get very quiet and pout.

Deryn had never trusted pretty boys like him. Every good looking man she had met had treated her poorly, and Alek was one of the best looking ones she had ever seen. Any day now he would make some callous remark about her height or her personality. Deryn was far from being one of the delicate little ladies that she had grown up with. She had little patience for dressing pretty and sweet manners. That just wasn't the type of person she was.

Someone like Alek was way out of her league. And she was okay with that, most of the time.

"I thought I'd bring you some company today." Alek said. He began to unbutton his jacket, and for the first time Deryn noticed the large moving lump around his shoulder area. When the coat was removed, a wee little beastie was perched next to Alek's neck.

"This is Bovril." Alek said, grabbing the creature and putting it in Deryn's lap.

It definitely was a fab, probably a mix between a cat and a monkey of some sort. The creature had lovely soft fur and a cute face with big eyes and attractive markings.

"Hello, beastie!" She said. It seemed Alek did something right for once. But Clankers weren't supposed to like fabrications, right?

"It's a perspicacious loris." Alek explained.

"Uhuh, and what does it do?"  
>"Ummm, well, I haven't been able to figure that out yet. Dr. Barlow created it."<p>

"And you decided to name it, you daft Clanker. You aren't supposed to name beasties."

Alek frowned and took a long sip from his glass of water. "It wasn't my idea." He said before finally putting the glass down. "I know you won't believe me, but Lilit named it."

Deryn snorted. Again with the Lilit stories. The anarchist girl was a major figure in most of the Istanbul exaggerations. Alek had even claimed that the girl had fallen in love with Deryn while she was disguised as a boy. And according to Alek, the girl had even kissed her! Now apparently this same girl was naming beasties after Scottish soups.

"And did this so called Lilit happen to want to kiss the beastie too?"

Alek slammed his glass down dramatically on the table, causing the wee beastie to jump.

"I'm not making this up, Dyl…Deryn! Try to put a little more faith in me, I'm trying to get your memories back!"

"Faith!" Declared the loris. Deryn almost dropped her plate in surprise. Not that she ever would drop good food on the floor.

"BARKING SPIDERS!"

"Oh, and Bovril can speak."

"_Mr. _Sharp." Bovril agreed with a giggle.

"Great, and this Bovril also thinks I'm a boy."

Alek's anger diminished a squick and he managed to give the faintest hint of a grin.

"Bovril was actually the first one to figure out that you were a girl."

Deryn was about to point out how loony that statement was when Dr. Busk reappeared in front of them.

"I don't remember saying that the loris could come in here!" He snapped at Alek. "The fabrication could spread unwanted bacteria to Deryn and she could get an infection."

Alek looked at the man sheepishly. "Dr. Barlow said it would be a good idea to bring Bovril. The creature is very insightful and could help with Deryn getting her memories back."

Busk crossed his arms and scrunched up his eyebrows.

"I'm afraid that brain injuries don't work that way. The only thing that will help Miss Sharp heal is time. And even then she may never fully regain her memories."

Alek nodded sadly and pulled Bovril out of Deryn's arms.

"I was afraid of that." He said.

Dr. Busk gave Alek a sympathetic look and shook his head.

"All right, the creature can stay, but not for too long. I want it out of here in ten minutes." He then headed for his office which was located through a doorway in the back of the infirmary.

"So, what mad stories are you going to tell me today? Did the Captain give birth to a dolphin or something?" Deryn said.

Alek began to pick at his food with his knife and appeared not to want to eat anymore.

"I…I don't know what else to tell you. I've pretty much told you everything already."

Deryn stuffed a spoonful of eggs into her mouth and began to chew thoughtfully.

"So, what you're saying is that you don't feel like making up any more crackpot nonsense."

Alek glared at her.

"It's fine, I understand." She said. "By the way, do you happen to know where my parents are?"

Alek dropped his knife with a clatter. "Your…parents?"

Deryn groaned and put her fork down. "Aye. You know, those people that gave you life. A mother and father? Surely you've heard of parents before, Clanker."

Alek was looking straight at her now, biting his lip.

"What about them?" He asked quietly.

"Well, I assume my Da and Ma are quite worried about me. It's been nearly a week since I ended up here and I haven't heard a word about my parents or any of my family."

Deryn didn't know for sure, but she guessed that her folks didn't know she was here. If they had, she was certain they would have visited her by now. She could imagine her mother and aunties charging into the little infirmary like a group of startled hens. They would be asking the doctor all sorts of fanatic questions while Da would be standing calmly by the doorway, examining the lovely fabricated wood. He was always distracted easily.

"I know you've told me a hundred times that I fell from a Huxley." She continued with Alek, "But I'm thinking I probably fell from one of my Da's hot air balloons instead. That would make a lot more sense."

Alek's eyes widened and his eyebrows seemed to disappear beneath his pilot's cap.

"Your father?" He mouthed slowly.

"Aye. And after your stories, a few tales about flying in hot air balloons shouldn't sound too foolish." She smirked. "Have you heard from him at all, or from my Ma?"

Alek swallowed hard and put his non-eaten breakfast back on the table.

"No, I've heard nothing." He said.


	4. Chapter 4

"I didn't promise that the loris would cure her. I only said that it might help trigger her memories back." Dr. Barlow said. She was currently sitting at her desk, writing notes to herself in a large blank book.

"Then it should have done something!" Alek shouted at her. Dr. Barlow didn't even bother to look up at him. Alek flopped down in the chair on the other side of the desk dramatically. "Deryn didn't even recognize Bovril. And she still doesn't remember anything from after the war started."

"Don't be too alarmed, Aleksander." She said, scribbling something down. "Deryn is in a lot better condition than she could be. An injury like that may have caused her to forget everything, or perhaps have even killed her. We're really quite lucky that she's with us at all."

Alek sighed. Dr. Barlow was right of course, but that didn't make him feel much better. With Deryn's recent memories gone, it was like she was a completely different person. Indeed, it was as if Dylan had never existed. Although there were things about Deryn's personality and behaviors that hadn't changed, there was a lot that had.

Recently they had been allowing her outside of the infirmary. At first she had been overwhelmed by the _Leviathan _and was shocked that they weren't lying to her about being aboard the gigantic airbeast. However, Deryn easily became accustomed to life onboard. Even though she didn't remember being a middy, her body did. She walked around with the same swaggering step and she still knew how to tie knots and climb the ratlines. They were even letting her do a few odd duties around the ship.

That was the strangest part. She seemed to remember how to behave, but other things she didn't remember at all.

"Why is it that she doesn't remember what's happened to her over the past year, but she still thinks she's fifteen?" Alek asked Dr. Barlow. It was one thing that had been bothering him for a while.

"Memories don't always work the way we think they will." Dr. Barlow explained. "Our brains don't register information in timelines. Certain events and activities may be forgotten, but autobiographical facts like her age or where she's from are located in different areas of the brain than events."

Alek frowned.

"The human mind is very complicated, Alek. A lot of how the brain works and what happens during a head injury are complete mysteries to modern science."

_Modern science? _ Alek thought. It sounded more like Dr. Barlow was giving excuses for why she couldn't figure out what was wrong with Deryn.

"I know this is hard for you." Barlow said, finally looking up at him. "None of us expected Mr. Sharp to be a woman. But I'm sure that beneath her rough exterior she still knows you and is still your friend."

Alek turned away. How could Dr. Barlow even begin to understand? She had no idea what it was like to lose a friend, a friend that was almost dead now, yet still see this friend walking around as a faded echo of what they used to be.

"Deryn doesn't remember me!" Alek said loudly. "And not only that, she hates me as well! No matter what I do, she treats me as though I'm some sort of enemy."

"As a Clanker, you are the enemy. " Dr. Barlow explained. "You're everything she has been taught to hate. Yet somehow she was able to see past that before. If you give her time, I'm positive she'll come around again."

Alek stood up angrily and started for the door of Barlow's office.

"That's easy for you to say!" He grumbled before leaving the room. He didn't want to admit it, but Dr. Barlow's words had been reassuring. Perhaps Deryn's head wound was more complicated than Alek had realized. He smiled slightly to himself. Maybe there was a chance that Deryn Sharp would be friends with him again after all.

* * *

><p><strong>an: I'm not an expert on brain trauma, but I have done a little research and from that as well as my psychology courses, I know that amnesia is not as simple as it seems. Depending on the injury and the person, different memories can be lost. For example, a person may only forget recent events such as the activities leading up to the accident, or they may not be able to make any new memories. It is common for facts such as their age or name to be remembered but other events may be completely lost. As described by Dr. Barlow in this chapter, the brain houses memories in different places and there are many different types of memories. If you want to learn more, there are plenty of helpful websites with information about amnesia and how memory loss works.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hey All,**

**I've been in London for the past two weeks so I haven't been writing much. Hope you guys are still reading this! **

* * *

><p>It was strange how the bats ate up the wee spikes as though they were delicious chocolates. Deryn tossed another handful and watched in amazement as the winged creatures swallowed down the food.<p>

"See, you're a natural!" Newkirk grinned at her. He had a small bag a breadcrumbs and spikes as well that he was emptying onto the ship's membrane.

"Newkirk," She said quietly. "have I done this before?"

The boy shrugged. "I dunno. I mean, you did before you hit your head, but I think this is the first time since then."

Deryn nodded. She didn't have any concrete memories of feeding flechette bats, but the concept did seem familiar. She was about to continue with the feeding when she noticed that Newkirk was giggling.

"What?"

"Nothing, it's just…" He pointed to her legs and Deryn blushed.

"Barking spiders, Newkirk, have you never seen a lass in skirts before?"

"No! But I didn't think I'd ever see YOU wearing them! Quite wrongly too, I have to say." He broke out into a loud laugh. Deryn smacked him roughly in the arm causing him to spill the breadcrumbs and instantly be swarmed by a flock of hungry bats.

"They forced me to wear them!" She shouted when the bats had cleared. It was true. The captain had ordered her to be dressed in proper attire which meant, of course, that Deryn was now wearing dresses again.

"Yes, but you don't have to wear a skirt _over_ your pants!" Newkirk smirked.

She frowned. Of all people, Newkirk should be the least of her worries. He never had mocked her, not once, for disguising herself as a boy. While the rest of the crew had seen her as some sort of disgusting parasite, Newkirk had treated her like a normal person. At least he had until now.

"I'm sorry, Sharp, but you look ridiculous. You're still wearing your middie uniform as well as your pants and boots, but then added the skirt over everything else! It's very odd looking."

She should have smacked him again but instead handed him her sack of breadcrumbs and took her leave.

"Hey, don't go!" Newkirk shouted at her as she left. "I said I was sorry!"

Stupid boy. Surely he could see that climbing dorsal was completely impossible in skirts. What with the strong winds and multiple ropes it was easy to get tangled up. Besides, who knew what the captain would say if her skirts had blown up enough for everyone to see her skivvies or, god forbid, her ankles.

She reached the gondola quickly and started for her room only to be interrupted by another stupid boy. The young Clanker engineer must have noticed her climbing down the ratlines and decided to have a chat with her. Although right now she was in no mood for arguing about false war stories.

"What do you want, Alek?" She asked as he stepped in front of her.

He sneered. "Good morning to you as well, Miss Sharp. I went to your room in search of you but it appeared you had already departed for the day. If you have a free moment, I was wondering if I could have a word with you."

Always the gentleman wasn't he?

"Not now." She grumbled before shoving him out of her way.

"But…Deryn wait!"

Too late. She was already thirty feet away from him down the hall and turning toward her room. Perhaps she would have time for a small nap before lunch. She hadn't completely healed from her injury yet and still needed breaks during the day on doctor's orders.

She reached her room without any complaint and was about to shut the door behind her when it stopped quickly as someone threw their hand out to prevent it from closing.

"Alek! What are you doing!"

He shoved his way in, very ungentlemanly, and began speaking to her in an uneven, gasping voice.

"I…I really really need to talk to you!"

"Blisters, Alek, what's the matter?"

He looked very worried, like he had done something terrible and was going to be severely punished for it.

"It's about your…your father."

Deryn frowned in confusion. "Aye, what about him?"

Again Alek looked terribly nervous.

"Perhaps you should take a seat. This may be a bit hard to take."

She still hadn't fully let him into her room yet. One of her hands was ready to close the door in his face and she was blocking him from coming in any further. "You aren't making any sense." She said.

He tried to push past her but stopped when he realized she wasn't going to let him in.

"I really don't want to tell you like this."

"Tell me what, exactly?"

His cheeks were completely flushed and he had to wipe his brow with the back of his hand. What on earth had made him so upset? A small flame of worry set off in her stomach and Deryn began to fear what Alek was about to say.

"Are you sure you won't let me in?"

No. She certainly would not be letting him in. And why was she getting so frightened. There was no reason she should fear anything this lying nutter had to say.

"If you have something that important to say to me, you can tell me now."

He didn't say anything, just stood there like a ninny and continued to stare at her.

"I can't."

"Why not?"

"God's wounds, Deryn, I'm your friend. Let me in so I can talk to you proper."

Her _friend_?

She released the door in order to use both hands and push him hard into the hallway.

"Barking spiders, you really have some nerve! Coming over here and practically forcing your way into my bedroom. A bit creepy, don't you think?"

His face turned even redder.

"I…I suppose…"

"Shut your mouth Clanker!" She screamed. "And for the last time, I am NOT your friend! Why on earth would I ever have a friend like _you_? So stop following me and leave me the hell alone!"

Alek's expression changed to one of anger. His eyes squinted into slits and he pulled his spine straight in attempt to look taller than her.

"Fine." He said. "But just so you know, your father's dead."

And with that he turned on his heel and bolted down the hallway. She was about to shout something else at him (like that he was a filthy liar), but instead slammed her door and jumped into her bed, smushing her face into the pillows in fury.

Stupid Clanker boys and their stupid stories! How the hell would someone like Alek know anything about her da?

Yet an ember deep in the pit of her stomach churned and Deryn felt that Alek had triggered something in her memories.


	6. Chapter 6

Sleep hadn't come easy for him since his parents had died and it was especially elusive now that he was onboard a flying whale. He flipped over again for the hundredth time to get comfortable and sighed. It was no use. His stomach kept clenching up with guilt and it didn't help that the ship was tossing about in the wind like a drunken seagull. He could hear the essence of a storm brewing in the distance. Obviously he was fated to get no sleep tonight.

A flash of lightening illuminated his bedchamber and a crash of thunder followed it. Soon he could hear raindrops pattering against the outer wall of the room. Annoyed, Alek threw the covers off and padded across the room to waken the glowworm lamp. Maybe he could read a book to ease his guilty conscience.

He knew exactly why he felt so wretched. Yesterday morning he had openly shouted to Deryn that her father was dead. Originally he thought that telling her would be a good deed and that she had the right to hear the truth about her father's accident. Yet when she had refused to acknowledge him as a friend and shoved him away from her, he had blurted out the news in anger. It was a childish thing to do and Alek couldn't stop faulting himself for it.

He hadn't heard or seen her since that moment. He had looked for her in attempt to apologize, but the girl was obviously avoiding him. Alek hoped she still didn't believe anything he told her, and that this was all an act of anger on Deryn's part. Hopefully he hadn't sparked miserable memories of her father's death.

But that couldn't have happened. Surely someone would have told him if she regained any trace of her lost memories. She was only mad at him for following her around and telling her 'crackpot stories'. Yes, that must be it. There was no way she would ever believe anything he told her.

Feeling a little bit better about himself, Alek began to search the bookshelves for something to read. Upon discovering that he was a prince, the Darwinists had moved him to a larger bedchamber which had doubled for an officer's study. The room was covered with bizarre oddities such as books, maps, biological models and scientific dioramas. Currently his attention settled on a large manuscript on poisonous plants. Alek pulled the dusty tome off of the shelf and settled on the floor to examine the drawings and descriptions of toxic flowers.

He was halfway through a chapter on the dangerous properties of the poppy when a particularly large thunderclap caused him to jump and knock over the lamp. The glass of the contraption snapped and dozens of tiny glowing worms spilled onto the floor, wriggling and squirming around his toes and ankles.

"UGGH!" He screamed and dashed away from the disgusting creatures, smashing a few of them beneath his feet. The action created large neon blotches on the floor and on the soles of his heels. Alek had to hold back a gag.

_What am I going to clean this up with?_ He thought. Touching the worms with his bare hands was out of the question and he needed to find something to wipe his feet on. He shuddered at the idea of glow worm goo amidst his sheets.

Another crash echoed outside. This one was even louder than the last and accompanied by a strong gust of wind that blew open his bedroom door. Chilly raindrops shot into the room like icy bullets and Alek swore loudly.

"MEIN GOTT!" This just wasn't fair. Maybe Volger was right about the _Leviathan _being a godless damnation.

Trying not to step on the glowworms again, he bolted across the room to shut the door only to be hosed down with another sheet of rain. Alek stuck his head out into the storm and shouted another curse which was rewarded with a mouthful of rainwater. He reached his arm out to shut his door but stopped when he saw the outline of a figure against the railings of the ship. It was a tall person, and he could just make out the image of a long German military jacket behind the backdrop of the lighting.

"WHO'S THERE!" He bellowed into the night, altering his stance to prepare for attack.

The form didn't move and Alek realized he had been shouting in English. After reading so much Darwinist literature in the middle of the night it was understandable that his tongue was a bit confused.

"WER IST DA!" He shouted instead. The figure moved slightly and Alek was able to make out a face in the dim glow emanating from the broken lamp in his room.

"Deryn?" He walked out into the night, stepping closer to see the pale skin and silvery wet blond hair in the storm. "What in God's name are you doing out here?"

She shrugged and turned away from him, facing out over the rail where she was watching the rain and waves splash below the airship. The jacket he had mistaken her for wearing was actually a gray woolen skirt which billowed out behind her in the wind, smacking its cold wet fabric against Alek's legs.

"It's freezing out here! Come inside!"

With only a bit of reluctance on her part, Alek was able to escort her by the arm into his room. He slammed the door dramatically and locked it as soon as they were both safely inside.

Another snap of lightening danced across the sky and Deryn crumpled on the ground with a cry.

"Hey now." He said softly, kneeling down beside her. "What's wrong?"

She slowly lifted her head and looked at him directly. Her eyes were bloodshot, and Alek could tell that the wetness on her cheeks wasn't just from the rain, but from tears as well. He was shocked. He didn't think it was possible for the strong willed Deryn Sharp to cry.

"No tears, Deryn, everything will be all right. Tell me what happened."

She glanced nervously at the windows and then back at him again. The look of utter fear in her eyes was mixed with something else. Anger? No, that wasn't right. It was something much clearer and more focused.

When he figured out what it was Alek almost cried himself.

God's wounds, she remembered.

He had seen that look before, the one of terrible shame and guilt flickering in her steel blue eyes. It was the same glance he had seen when she had confessed to him weeks ago about her father's death. He remembered them squeezed below the message lizard room as she showed him her father's medal of heroism. There she retold the tale of how he had pushed her out of the flaming hot air balloon, only to fate himself to a burning death.

But now the look of fear was fresh and new. She was reliving that horrendous night like it was happening for the first time.

With a small gasp Alek threw his arms around her and pulled her into his lap. Surprisingly she didn't protest and instantly buried her head into his shoulder with a sorrowful wail.

It was odd, this feeling of her rain washed body pressed against his chest, but in a way very nice as well.

"I'm…I'm so sorry, Deryn." He mumbled. "This is all my fault."

After a few more sobs she loosened her grip and looked up at him.

"Sssnot your fault." She wimpered.

"Well, I would think it would be, seeing as that I am the one who brought this whole thing about by mentioning your father in the first place."

Deryn shook her head. "That may have sparked it a squick but the memory really came back because of the storm."

Ah yes, the storm. The lightening was reminiscent of the Tesla Cannon which had engulfed Newkirk's Huxley in flame and in turn, replayed the termination of her father's hydrogen balloon to perfection. It was also ironic that a similar accident had caused Deryn to forget everything in the first place.

Alek shook his head to rid the image of burning balloons from his mind and changed the subject.

"Goodness, Deryn, you're soaked through. Let's find you something dry to wear." Awkwardly he removed her from his lap and stood. His clothing wasn't nearly as dry and comfortable as it used to be but Deryn was absolutely drenched in comparison. She was still wearing her day clothes and probably had never bothered to change for bed that night. Had she been awake all this time?

Alek frowned in concern before heading to his trunk in search of clean garments.

"I have an extra nightgown." He mentioned to her, tossing a pair of cotton pants and a button up nightshirt in her direction. She caught them and stood.

"And where am I supposed to change into these, Clanker?"

Alek's face flushed in embarrassment. He hadn't thought of that.

"I…I'm turning around. I won't look at you, I promise!" He vowed, flipping toward the wall so he wasn't facing her. He thought he heard a snort from Deryn's direction and a soft 'daft boy', but true to his word he didn't turn around.

"YOWCH!"

Well, he did peek a look when heard that.

"Oh! And don't step on the….."

"BARKING SPIDERS!"

"…glowworms."

"Did you break the lamp? Bloody hell what a mess!" She sniffed back a few last tears and wiped her face a bit.

"Yes….well…..I…" He stopped speaking when he realized he was looking at a partially clothed Deryn. Her pants were on as well as most of the shirt, she just hadn't managed to button it up all the way before Alek had turned around. He had gotten quite an eyeful of what lay beneath the shirt before she realized he was staring and swiftly wrapped her arms about herself.

"I'm so sorry!" He yelped and spun around again. God's wounds, she would never speak to him again now.

Yet, on the contrary, he thought he heard a brief giggle coming from her direction.

"It's all right, daftie, I'm descent now. You don't have to cover your eyes forever."

Slowly he allowed himself to face her. The nightclothes fit her daringly and snuggly in places he hadn't noticed in her middie uniform. Alek gulped and quickly shifted his eyes to the floor.

"Good thing my wrapping were sopping wet as well and I had to take them off, otherwise you wouldn't be able to see much though my shirt." She laughed.

Alek's felt his heart beat quicken. What was she talking like this for? Was she flirting with him?

A warm pressure on his shoulder caused Alek to jump. She had stepped in front of him and was now holding his shoulder in her hand.

"It's fine, you loony, I was kidding! The shirt isn't see-through!"

He ventured enough to look up at her again, and although he was startled by her closeness, he was relieved that the nightshirt was very opaque.

"I'm sorry." He managed to squeak.

"Don't be. Honestly Alek, I am not upset that you looked. I mean, if it's you that's looking, I don't really mind."

Alek shuddered a bit and pushed her arm away from his shoulder. Thankfully he didn't have to think of something else to say because they were interrupted by another bolt of lightening. Deryn didn't flinch this time, but she did look horrified all the same. A strong sense of protection filtered through Alek's veins and he managed to reassure her with the smallest of pats on the arm.

"You don't have to go back outside. I can sleep on the floor and you can take the bed if you'd like." He said automatically.

Deryn gave the sweetest little grin.

"I really appreciate it, Alek. And you don't need to sleep on the floor, the bed's big enough for the both of us."

"Absolutely not! I have no quam sleeping on the rug. I am nothing if not a gentleman, Miss Sharp!"

She only shook her head with a laugh. "Whatever you say. I'm just thankful that you've cheered me up this much. It's been a crappy night and I really needed a friend."

_A friend?_

Alek beamed.

"Have you remembered who I am, Miss Sharp?" He asked lightheartedly.

She nodded. "I remember a few bits and pieces. Like, I remember that you can pilot a stromwalker, and that the engines from your stormwalker are now driving the _Leviathan._ I remember looking for you in Istanbul and helping destroy the Tesla Cannon with you. I also remember when I met you. How you saved my bum from frostbite when the ship crashed in the Swiss Alps."

Alek couldn't suppress his happiness much longer. Delighted to hear such things from her lips, he pulled the girl into his arms in another awkward embrace.

"And I also recall that I like you very much, my Clanker friend." She whispered in his ear. The wetness of her hair was cold against his temple and Alek could feel the gentle pressure of her lips against his cheek in a light delicate kiss, almost like the feathery touch of a butterfly wing.

"Deryn, what are you doing?"

She was hugging him back now, and a little more tightly than Alek was comfortable with.

"One moment, please." He said, prying her arms off of his sides. "You…you don't think we were…um…more than friends, do you?"

She laughed at him. "Not with you thinking I was a boy! But I'm pretty sure you can tell I'm a girl now and that I may have the wee start of feeling for you."

He should have been happy. Hell, he should have been ecstatic. His best friend had remembered him and not only that, she was the girl he had been thinking of constantly these past few days. He should be confessing his own feeling for Deryn because, if he allowed himself to admit it, he did care about her quite a bit as well. But there was one very big problem.

"Deryn, I….I think there's one thing you have forgotten and that I haven't been able to tell you yet." He took one of her hands in his own. "I'm a…well this is a bit tricky….I'm a prince, Deryn."

"A _what_?" She laughed nervously and dropped his hand to wipe a wet strand of hair from her eyes. "You must be joking, right?"

He bit his lip and watched her nervously. This was something Volger had warned him about.

_It would be better if she didn't remember every detail, your highness._ The wildcount had said. _The best thing would be if the secrets she used to know about you died along with the rest of her forgotten memories. We'll tell her we're Clanker engineers who are working on the ship's engines. That should be enough._

Alek had refused to agree with the count before, and it still irked him that he had gone along with Volger's plan. Yet at the time it seemed easier for Deryn if she didn't know everything about him. Looking at her now, he wished he had mentioned it sooner.

"I guess it isn't a joke then." Deryn mumbled. She took a step back from him and took him in with her eyes completely. "It's starting to come back to me now."

He could see the memories clicking in her brain like the gears of a watch being pieced back together after being oiled and cleaned. Bit by bit she was recalling the things that had happened before, one memory leading into another like a falling train of dominoes.

"Your parents…" She said, suddenly smacking her face into her palm. "Blisters, how could I have forgotten all that important stuff. All that yackum Volger was telling me about the Archduke and Duchess, those were YOUR parents!"

"Yes."

"DAMN! I mean, barking spiders, Alek, I'm really sorry! I shouldn't have said any of that mushy stuff to you, that was horrid."

Suddenly she was scooping up her pile of wet clothing and heading for the door.

"Wait! You don't have to go! I was serious about letting you stay here tonight."

"NO!" She shook her head strongly before slipping her shoes back on. "I mean, thank you, your highness, but I have already outdone my stay. This wee little storm is nothing compared to….um compared to…oh never mind." She was looking very scared about going back outside even though she was opening to the door at any rate.

"Please, Deryn."

"Goodnight, your highness."

And with a bow she unlocked the cabin door and ran out into the storm without a single look back.


	7. Chapter 7

As soon as Deryn had exited Alek's room into the storm, she shot through the rain like a cheetah after its prey. She was so horrified at what she had said to Alek that she hardly even noticed the storm until she was back in her own bed. Only then did she realize the dry clothes he had lent her were soaked again from the rain. The dampness was annoying, but she didn't care enough to get up and change. Instead she burrowed herself into her blankets and began to sob. The old tears from before sparked the new ones and soon Deryn was a big snotty gross mess.

Of course this was the exact moment for someone to come knock on her door. The faint pounding stirred her a bit but she didn't fully notice it until it changed to a loud banging.

Deryn knew it was probably Alek trying to cheer her up again. (or trying to humiliate her more) So she was in no mood to get up and talk to him. If she ignored him he would soon get the hint and go back to his warm, dry room.

But the knocking continued, accompanied by a low booming voice that was shouting inaudible phrases to her through the thundering storm. It took her another minute to register that the shouts were not in Alek's voice, but in another familiar Clanker accent.

Confused, she stood and wiped her face before finally answering the door.

"My word! Did they teach you such disgraceful manners in Scotland!" Said the tall menacing form of Count Volger. "Well, are you just going to stand there or are you going to let me in?"

Still in shock that the man was at her door at such a late hour, Deryn easily stood aside so he could enter her room.

"It appears that I will be needing your assistance this morning, Ms. Sharp." Volger continued to speak as he pulled of his jacket and shook the raindrops from it onto her floor.

"What is it?" Deryn said, her curiosity getting the best of her.

"It appears that Alek has gone missing."

She scowled. "That can't be! I just spoke to him a bit ago."

"Indeed." Volger snorted and glared at her. "I will ignore how scandalous it is for a young lady to be in Aleksander's bedchamber this late at night, but seeing as that you are already wearing Alek's nightclothes, it appears that my warnings come too late.

He really was a clever boots! Deryn sneered at him and put her hands on her hips.

"And I could point out that you, sir, are in _my _bedroom late at night!" She said.

"Completely a different matter, Ms. Sharp. I am here due to an emergency, which I'm sure wasn't the case between you and Alek. Now if I may?" He said, shaking his coat one last time before draping it over her bed post and seating himself on the bed. "Alek is no longer in his room. I woke this morning, as I always do, at the crack of dawn. Of course, the dawn is not visible in this weather, but that isn't the point. After a brief cup of tea I always go to waken Alek for his morning fencing lesson."

Deryn rolled her eyes. Surely the Count knew that if Alek was supposed to be an engineer, he wouldn't be fencing.

"You can imagine my distress and anger when I came to his room and did not find him there. My first assumption was that the young delirious boy ended up in your bedroom. Obviously my hypothesis wasn't too far off since you are wearing his clothing, but alas, Alek is not here. So if you could, I would really appreciate some advice on your part as to where he may be."

Deryn had to admit that this was probably the first time Volger had ever asked her for help. Even with her memory loss she was certain it had never happened before.

"Well, he can't have gone too far. I literally just finished talking to him. Have you checked anywhere else?"

Volger nodded in annoyance and started listing off all the places he had previously searched for Alek. It seemed he had checked almost the entire ship before he came to Deryn's room. That didn't make much sense since Deryn had only finished speaking with the young prince minutes ago.

"Did you check back in Alek's room? Maybe he went back there while you were looking for him?"

She had to admit that sounded a bit odd as well. If Alek had been trekking about the ship at night she would have seen him leave. Before he had pulled her into his room, Deryn had been shamefully standing in front of Alek's door like a moony lass debating if she should knock or not.

"Well no, I didn't think of that." Volger had the grace to admit.

"Then let's ramble over there and see if he's in!" Deryn grumbled.

They marched to Alek's room in silence. Deryn was beginning to think this was all an act so that Volger could scold her even more for being in Alek's room at night. Nasty clever boots that he was, Volger was sure to find something to muck up Deryn's life even more.

Yet when they reached Alek's bedroom the place was empty. Not only that, but the room was trashed. His bed had been torn apart, the sheets and blankets strewn across the floor amongst the broken lamp from before. A few books had shot off the shelves as though someone had thrown them and Deryn swore she could smell the faint hint of gunpowder. It was a terrifying stench to smell while a passenger on a hydrogen breather.

Volger took the whole thing in like it was a mysterious scientific specimen. His gaze passed over the contents of the room for a moment before something caught his eye.

"Is that the loris?" He asked her, pointing to a lump of blankets in one of the corners.

Deryn rushed over and noted the small furry creature amidst the fabric folds.

"BOVRIL!" She scooped the wee beastie into her arms. The poor thing was terrified. All its little hairs were on end and she could feel it shaking against her chest.

"Confiscated." Bovril said with a hiccup.

"I think it's injured." Deryn said. Bovril had a bloody leg and a patch of missing fur behind its head. Volger came over to get a closer look but the beastie wouldn't let him. Instead, he bounded out of Deryn's arms and onto the floor.

"Confiscated!" The creature said again, this time with more emphasis. Then it scampered out the door without any problem whatsoever.

"Do you think…?"

"It must know where Alek is!" Deryn squealed, and without turning to see if Volger was following her, she quickly followed Bovril out the door.

They ran after Bovril through the rain and up a winding staircase to the gastric chambers of the airbeast. Volger seemed a bit afraid to enter the insides of the _Leviathan, _but he followed Deryn without any verbal complaint.

Inside the beastie was warm and dark. The sounds of the thunder outside were almost completely muted by the thick skin of the whale. A faint rumble could be heard now and then but there was no evidence of rainfall once they were inside the gastric chambers.

Bovril managed to find a ladder that climbed the wall made up of the airbeast's skin. It reached all the way to the top, nearly two hundred feet above the ground of the chamber. Deryn scaled the ladder skillfully with Volger right at her heels.

"Confiscated." Bovril said one more time before pushing open a small trap door that was hidden about ten feet away from the top of the ceiling. Deryn had never witnessed this door before and she was shocked that Bovril would know something about the ship that she didn't. She didn't mention this out loud to Volger, of course.

The door was made of the ship's membrane and opened up like laceration or tear in the flesh. Deryn pushed her way through and found that the door opened up to the wall of a small room. The space had been made from a gap between the whale's vertebrae. It was warmer than the large chamber below and darker, so it took a moment for her eyes to adjust.

Nearly five feet away from where she stood was a human form curled up in a ball like a fetus. She recognized it at once as Alek.

"Barking spiders, thank God we found you!" She yelped and began shaking Alek by the shoulders. He had been unconscious but began to stir as she continued to shake him.

"Deryn?" He frowned and slowly lifted his head off the ground. "Volger?"

"Are you hurt, your highness?" The count asked from Deryn's side.

"I….I don't think so." He muttered.

Deryn wasn't sure so she continued to shake him.

"Do you mind not doing that." He told her, weekly pushing her arms away. "My head is pounding miserably and I don't need the extra movement right now."

She swiftly let go of him and put her hands against his temples instead. While cradling Alek's skull in her hands, Deryn carefully examined his head for injuries.

"Blisters, Alek, you're bleeding!"

Right below the crown of his head was a long narrow gash. Volger saw the wound as well and pulled a handkerchief from his pocket to press against the blood. Deryn raised Alek to a sitting position and hung onto his head since he wasn't able to support the weight with his own neck.

"Someone must have clonked you good and hard! What happened?" She asked.

He frowned.

"I actually can't recall anything after I finished speaking with you." Alek admitted. "One minute I was sitting in my room and the next I was here, being shaken awake by you."

"NO!" Deryn groaned with frustration. "Don't tell me _you're_ loosing your memories now!"

Volger sighed and shook his head.

"That appears to be the reason for hitting him in the head. Someone wanted to take him unawares." He said. "The question is, who would have done such a thing, and why?"

They all sat for a moment to pause and think about it.

"Confiscated." Said Bovril


	8. Chapter 8

**I finally sat down and forced myself to continue with this story after a few months of letting it sit and rot. Since I've had so many wonderful reviews in "Awkward Moments" maybe I'll get more readers and reviewers for this lovely story as well *crosses fingers* It would definitely convince me to write it faster ;)**

* * *

><p>"First things first, I believe a decent cup of tea should be in order." Dr. Barlow declared. Alek never understood the infatuation the English had with tea, but he gladly accepted the cup once it was offered. He was grateful for its warmth after trampling about in the storm.<p>

"Now that that's settled, mind explaining to me what happened?" Dr. Barlow asked. She looked rather complacent for someone who had been woken up at five in the morning. Alek, Volger and Deryn had clambered into her room merely five minutes ago with himself in a huge bloody mess from a head wound. Barlow had simply sat them down, put her hair up and then successfully made them all a pot of tea while surveying Alek's wounds and calming down Deryn and Volger at the same time. She really was quite an amazing woman.

"I couldn't tell you what happened seeing as that I wasn't there!" Volger snapped. It had been a long time since Alek had seen him this upset. Probably not since they had escaped Prague.

"Alek was missing so the Count and I went looking for him." Deryn took the liberty to explain. "His room was destroyed, everything ripped to sodding threads, except for Bovril."

The creature was currently in Alek's lap, trembling.

"Bovril led us to the gastric chambers of the ship where we found Alek in a hidden pocket below the spine." She continued.

Barlow nodded.

"There are several such compartments in many different areas of the ship." She admitted when Deryn was finished. "Originally they were planned to be used for storage, but most of them were discovered to be of no use and were left empty. I know precisely of the one you are talking about. It was meant to house extra food supplies."

"Oh, aye! I remember now! They were emptied when we needed to discard extra weight."

"I'm glad your memories are returning so quickly, Miss Sharp. Please continue."

"Those wee rooms used to hold some of the ship's weapons as well!"

"I don't understand how that's important!" Volger interrupted. "We aren't here to chat over tea about the inner makings of the vessel. In case you have forgotten, Alek was attacked!"

Dr. Barlow glared at Volger and sighed.

"Sometimes the truth is held in the tiny details. Anything we can gather from the incident could be useful. Deryn, do you know what sort of weapons were housed there?" She asked.

Deryn frowned and stared at the remnants of her barely touched tea. She was drenched from the rain, still wearing Alek's nightclothes and looking exhausted. Alek supposed she had gotten no sleep tonight due to the large circles under her eyes.

"I never saw the weapons, ma'am." She finally responded. "Only heard about them during my middie training. I probably know more, but I just can't remember it all."

"Don't strain yourself, Deryn." Alek piped in. "You've had a terrible night." He glanced around the room at his fencing master and the Darwinist doctor. They were staring at him intensely.

"You haven't had a wonderful evening either, your highness." Barlow commented. "There are a lot of interesting factors in this event, but the main one is that you were hit in the forehead with a blunt object. I think it might be best if we take you to the infirmary. In fact, I wonder why that wasn't done sooner."

She gave Volger another angry glare.

"He insisted on seeing you first." The wildcount said. "I tried to persuade him otherwise, but he was adamant about telling you something."

That seemed to spike the doctor's interest. Her look of concern was quickly replaced with curiosity.

"By all means, what did you need to tell me, Aleksander?"

Alek swallowed. He had almost forgotten why he had demanded to come here.

"It's Bovril. I may not recall what has happened to me, but the Loris does. It keeps repeating the same phrase over and over."

"And that phrase is."

"Confiscated." Alek said.

"CONFISCATED!" Repeated Bovril from his lap. The creature had been completely silent until now, a rare phenomena for Bovril.

"Fascinating." Dr. Barlow said.

"What do you think it means?"

"I couldn't tell you. But I do know that the Perspicacious Loris is excellent at repeating exact phrases that it encounters. Tell me, have you ever noticed anything particular about the way the Loris speaks?"

Alek shared a confused look with Deryn. Obviously neither of them knew what Dr. Barlow was talking about.

"Allow me to explain. Every time the fabrication repeats something it has heard, it says it in the same voice of the person that spoke it."

Deryn went wide eyed. "Aye! It sounds just like Alek whenever it says that 'confiscated' phrase!" She blurted.

"That's because it was repeating him just now. Earlier it was speaking in a different voice, one you may even recognize."

As if on cue, the Loris spoke again with an accent completely different to Alek's.

"Confiscated." Said Bovril. Alek felt a chill rise up his spine. He did recognize the voice. A strong female voice he thought he'd never hear again.

"I've never heard this person speak before, but from your expression, I'm guessing you have?" Barlow said.

Both he and Deryn shared another look, but this time not only out of confusion but out of fear. Together they spoke the name at once.

"_Lilit"._


	9. Chapter 9

**REMEMBER ME! I write stories too. Although it has been several months. Hope you all are still reading and perhaps I'll get some new readers as well!**

She normally wouldn't be the one to keep a diary. But Dr. Busk had insisted that notes should be kept in order to better improve her memory. The brief statements were only a few sentences and usually followed the same template.

_Yesterday I remembered..._

_ Therefore today I plan to..._

It was normally tedious work that Deryn didn't bother to take seriously however today was different. She sat in her room with the notebook Dr. Busk had given her. The fountain pen was light as air in her hand as she scribbled down her thoughts on the blank page.

_Yesterday I remembered that Alek is a prince. His parents are dead and their death caused the start of the Great War. I also recalled that I may have the wee start of feelings for Alek. _

_ Therefore today I plan to ignore my feelings because there is no way I could ever be with a prince. _

She sat back and admired her words. As little as it was it was still three times as long as anything else she had wrote. Besides, writing it down made the idea tangible. It was more likely for her to follow her own rules if she wrote them down. Still, the whole thing made her heart plummet a bit and her tummy felt wretched.

Annoyed, Deryn slammed the notebook shut and shoved it beneath her bed. The breakfast bell hadn't rung yet so she figured she had a bit of time before having to report to the mess hall. Perhaps she should go out for a stroll on the deck. Some fresh air would be nice after all.

With a yawn Deryn rose out of her bed and dressed for the day. Her clothes from last night were still soaking wet and she couldn't wear the nightgown Alek had lent her, so she settled on simple trousers and a cotton shirt she had borrowed from Jaspert during their stay in London.

_I wonder if I'll see him again soon. _She thought to herself. Jaspert may be a terrible clown and a rotten trickster, but she still missed him something fierce. She had barely gotten more than a note about his journeys and that may have been near on a month ago. Like everything else, it was hard to remember exactly. She sighed and brushed her hair out of her face before heading out of her room.

The deck of the Leviathan was pleasantly empty as she made her way starboard to watch the sunrise. The rain had finally ceased and clouds from the storm were fading in the distance. They looked odd next to the pinkish sunrise that was beginning to start up in the east.

Deryn found a railing to perch her elbow upon while she breathed in the cold morning air. They were flying over land now in what was probably northern Italy. Below she could make out snow covered mountains and a few vultures gliding in the morning breeze.

She could have stayed and watched the view for hours but something behind her caused her to start. She turned and realized another person had crept up behind her.

"Blisters!" She swore before nearly jumping out of her boots at the sudden closeness of the stranger. "Sorry, I didn't see you there! You surprised me."

The mad only shrugged at her comment. He was a short fellow, nearly a head shorter than Deryn with a huge moustache and fluffy eyebrows to match. With his bizarre bright blue uniform, red pants and a dented helmet, the man set a strange image aboard the _Leviathan_ where most of the men wore brown or black. She stared at him for much too long but try as she might, she couldn't remember seeing this man before.

"Ummm, I don't mean to be rude, but I don't think I know you." She spoke to him.

Again the man did little more than shrug.

"Are you one of the engineers? I'm afraid my memory's a squick foggy, but if you give me a minute I may remember you. What's your name?"

He twitched his moustache and sniffed. She asked him a few more questions but the fellow still wouldn't say a word. Getting a bit miffed, Deryn stood a tad taller and crossed her arms.

"Well, if you're just goin' to stand they like a ninny, I'm gonna have to report you to my commanding officer."

She pushed him away from her because he was standing awfully close and started walking briskly toward the bridge. If she didn't know better this man was an intruder of some kind. It was strange that he would appear on the airship while they were in the midst of flight but stranger things had happened. Last night for instance was definitely barking strange. She wondered if this stranger had something to do with Alek's short disappearance. The idea made her uneasy and she quickly turned around to get a better look at the man.

"BARKING SPIDERS!" She yelped, for the odd fellow was still right next to her. Even though she had walked nearly thirty feet he had been able to follow her silently without her noticing. Again, he didn't say a word and only twitched his moustache with a bit of a sniff.

"What the hell's the matter with you?" She snapped. But even if the silent stranger was about to talk to her he would have been interrupted by the ringing of the breakfast bell. There was a small stir in the sounds amongst the ship as men began to rise from their rooms and head for the mess hall. Out of habit, Deryn started for the same place. Just like before, the strange man followed her like a ghost. Only this time Deryn watched him do so.

"Now stop there a squick." She said, turning to face him and raising her palm to his face. "Just what is the meaning of this?"

Finally the fellow gave her the tiniest amount of emotion by awarding her with a small grin. A second later he snatched her by her outstretched arm and spun her in a large circle. It was like a quick sickening square dance and Deryn was about to shout at him when she realized he had tripped her over his own leg and sent her sprawling onto ground. She shouted something foul and was about to clobber the little man with her fists when she noticed he was gone.

Stunned, Deryn rubbed her chin for she had smacked it fiercely during her fall. She scanned the area around her but there was no sight of the stranger. Instead, other soldiers were passing her with odd looks on their way to breakfast. A few seemed puzzled by her position on the ground but no one stopped to help her up. Meal times were always a rush and the hungry men weren't going to take up time helping her when there was hot breakfast waiting. Deryn let them all pass her before struggling to get up. It was much more difficult than usual, even without the annoying skirt and when she tried to lift a foot to walk she couldn't.

"What the...?"

Her ankles were tied together with what appeared to be wire. Yet it wasn't wire since the string was transparent yet it still retained the strength of a wire or fabricated fiber.

She should have screamed for help but the strange string was wrapped around her arms now and she was being pulled upward. Within the time it took her to swallow down a curse, Deryn was lifted off of the deck and into the air. Almost in seconds she flew above the _Leviathan _and within such breakneck speed she almost vomited.

Into the clouds she rose, her confined legs dangling in the sky below her, until she finally got the idea to look upward.

There within a mass of clouds, completely hidden to unknown eyes, was a tiny aircraft nearly an eight of the size of the _Leviathan. _From what Deryn could tell it looked like a Clanker contraption although not like any other she had seen. It was dingy and worn and before she could look at more of the details, or let alone yell for help, she had been yanked into a hatch on the ventral side of the ship. Instantly she was inside a dank chamber with low lighting. The hatch was immediately shut behind her and she was confronted with more strings and ties as well as a gag in the mouth.

She did scream then. That is, she screamed as much as she could through the cloth between her teeth. Her eyes eventually adjusted to the tinny light and she made out a few people around her. There were six of them in all and they all varied drastically in size and appearance. The first person she recognized as the little man with the moustache from before. He was also attached to the strong clear string and must have been pulled into the hatch before her. Currently he was untying himself from the constraints and not giving anyone else a second glance.

Another man with bright golden eyes was beaming at Deryn grotesquely. She could smell him clearly and his ratty clothing seemed to be fouled with black tar and grease. In fact, they all had greasy clothing as she looked around.

The rest were women. A slender dark skinned woman was manning a pulley that Deryn was attached to by the strings. It must have been what they used to pull her up here. There were two blondes that looked almost identical sitting and smiling at Deryn with pretty coy winks and giggles, but the most prominent of the group was a gigantic beast of a lady who was standing almost on top of Deryn. Her neck was thicker than a muscle man's and her hands were the size of turkey legs. Deryn gulped loudly through her gag as the touring woman kneeled down to eyelevel with her.

"Willkommen!" The woman said gruffly. "Die ist der Goblin!"

Deryn recognized the German but that didn't make her any happier. She grunted through her gag but no one seemed to notice her discomfort. Instead they just stared at her.

"Do you think he knows why he's here?" Someone asked. To this there was no response. Deryn was trying to wiggle her way out of her constraints but to no avail. She could feel the thrum of engines beneath her knees as the small ship started to speed away. Whoever these people were they were taking her away from the _Leviathan_ and away from everything she remembered and knew.


End file.
